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3232Homan: a Purple Heart and Bucks Bonushttps://www.peppercustombaits.com/homan-a-purple-heart-and-bucks-bonus/
Wed, 03 Jun 2020 12:07:00 +0000https://www.peppercustombaits.com/homan-a-purple-heart-and-bucks-bonus/Bassmaster Open Series angler Brent Homan sees every target he casts to with one eye. He lost the other eye on June 10, 2007 when an IED blew up the U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle he was commanding in Iraq while protecting the world from terrorism.

Homan, a successfully married father of three who now lives in Graham, Texas west of Forth Worth, also suffered a mangled thumb. “Doctors in Balad, Iraq told me they thought they could save my eye but not my thumb. I told them I needed my thumb to fish with,” recalls the Purple Heart recipient.

Five days later, back on American soil at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Homan lost his right eye, but kept the thumb. Apparently, God knew he was a bass angler and would need the thumb to fish with – ultimately, Homan’s greatest therapy.

Thirteen years after the injury, when it was time to buy a new truck, Homan’s vision for the brand of vehicle he’d purchase was perfectly clear. On Memorial Day, 2020 – he bought a brand new Toyota Tundra, and then signed up for Toyota Bonus Bucks.

“The biggest reason I bought a Tundra was to be aligned with Toyota and B.A.S.S. – those two brands do a ton for bass anglers and one another,” says Homan. “Plus, it’s just a bad to the bone truck that’s assembled by American workers in Texas,” he says proudly.

Homan says his dream day of fishing would involve casting Scum Frogs and vibrating bladed jigs around matted vegetation on the Potomac River. But this year, his eighth season to compete in the Bassmaster Opens, he’ll focus on working hard to collect Toyota Bonus Bucks checks at the Arkansas River, Sam Rayburn and Neely Henry, before finishing the season near home on Lake Lewisville.

“Wherever we go, I’ll promise you I’ll have plenty of towing power for my Skeeter-Yamaha. I’ve literally had to learn to ease into accelerating with this Tundra, because the torque is so unreal compared to other trucks I’ve driven – especially going uphill,” says Homan.

In a sense, his new Tundra’s power to move forward reflects the supreme determination shown by Homan himself – a deeply admired Purple Heart recipient rich with kindness, humility, and perseverance.

Much like Homan, you too can cash-in on Toyota Bonus Bucks. You just have to own or lease a 2016 or newer Toyota Truck, sign up free for Bonus Bucks, and be the highest finishing registered participant in one of the hundreds of tournaments supported by the Program. To learn more, please visit www.toyotafishing.com.

]]>Jacob Wheeler Wins Toyota Series Tournament at Pickwick Lakehttps://www.peppercustombaits.com/jacob-wheeler-wins-toyota-series-tournament-at-pickwick-lake/
Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:01:00 +0000https://www.peppercustombaits.com/jacob-wheeler-wins-toyota-series-tournament-at-pickwick-lake/FLORENCE, Ala. (May 30, 2020) – Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour angler Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, brought five bass to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake event Saturday in Florence, Alabama. Wheeler’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 56-8 earned him the win by a 5-pound, 8-ounce margin over second-place angler Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Georgia, and earned Wheeler the top payout of $38,545 in the second tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Central Division season.

“I truthfully can’t even believe that just happened,” said Wheeler, the reigning MLF World Champion who earned the first Toyota Series win of his career. “I’ve competed at all levels, and it is so tough to win one of these Toyota Series events. A lot of pros compete in them, but they also have the great local fisherman that know their home bodies of water so well. They’re extremely hard to win, so to come out today with the victory – I am tremendously tickled.”

Wheeler said that he had no magic spot on Pickwick Lake, but estimated he fished around 30 different places throughout the week, throwing a variety of baits.

“I tried to find little 3- to 5-fish schools that were a little out of the way off the beaten path, and then when a community hole opened up I’d stop in there and try to catch a few fish. I caught fish from 10 feet to 30 feet, and I was constantly changing my baits based on where I was fishing,” Wheeler said.

“My electronics setup was a huge deal for me this week, as well,” Wheeler went on to say. “Instead of signing with one company, I’m running Lowrance, Garmin and Humminbird units this year and that really helped me tremendously when I was finding those 3 to 5 fish schools.”

Seth Davis of Harrison, Tennessee, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Washam brought an 8-pound, 9-ounce largemouth bass to the scale Friday – the largest fish weighed by a boater in the event – to earn the day’s Big Bass award of $141.

Josh Lockard of Somerset, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 48 pounds, 7 ounces. For his win, Lockard took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor, worth $33,500.

The top 10 co-anglers on Pickwick Lake finished:

1st: Josh Lockard of Somerset, Ky., 15 bass, 48-7, $33,500

2nd: Phil Williams Jr. of Jamestown, Ky., 13 bass, 36-13, $4,868

3rd: Nathan Woodruff of Iuka, Miss., 14 bass, 33-14, $3,894

4th: Chris Quaintance of Muscle Shoals, Ala., 11 bass, 32-4, $3,502

5th: Clint Pegg of Columbus, Miss., 12 bass, 31-14, $2,921

6th: Andrew Gordon of Columbus, Miss., 12 bass, 29-11, $2,434

7th: Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala., 11 bass, 29-1, $1,947

8th: Benton Peoples of Bardstown, Ky., 11 bass, 26-8, $1,704

9th: Bryan Dowdy of Florence, Ala., 11 bass, 25-10, $1,460

10th: Samuel Maxwell of Vincennes, Ind., 10 bass, 23-12, $1,217

Quaintance weighed in the largest bass in the co-angler division on Thursday, bringing a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass to the stage. He earned the days Co-angler Big Bass award of $95.

The Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake was hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments in 2020 for Central Division anglers. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.

The Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.

About FLWFLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, FLW and its partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Zimbabwe.

FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show while Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. Acquired by Major League Fishing in late 2019, FLW is expanding its programming in 2020 to the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel as well as on-demand at MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).

]]>Fort Worth, Lake Ray Roberts Poised To Host First Bassmaster Classichttps://www.peppercustombaits.com/fort-worth-lake-ray-roberts-poised-to-host-first-bassmaster-classic/
Thu, 28 May 2020 12:00:00 +0000https://www.peppercustombaits.com/fort-worth-lake-ray-roberts-poised-to-host-first-bassmaster-classic/BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — For just the third time in the event’s storied history, the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic will be coming to Texas. The eyes of Texas — and the world — will be watching March 19-21, 2021 as the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing heads to Fort Worth with fishing taking place at Lake Ray Roberts in nearby Denton.

It will mark the first time Fort Worth will host the Bassmaster Classic, as well as the first time a major B.A.S.S. tournament has been held on this fishery.

“There are very few firsts in the world of sports,” said Chase Anderson, Chairman of B.A.S.S. “We can’t wait to have a historic first next year when fishing’s biggest stage comes to Fort Worth. Our fans, sponsors and anglers are sure to be in for an incredible experience.”

Downtown Fort Worth will be on full display during the event, hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth. Outdoors enthusiasts can browse at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, which will be held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, before taking in daily weigh-in festivities at nearby Dickies Arena.

“We could not have secured this world-class event without the support of our community partners,” said Bob Jameson, President and CEO for Visit Fort Worth, parent organization of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “We are grateful to Dickies Arena, Will Rogers Memorial Center, the City of Fort Worth, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Lake Ray Roberts, The Stockyards and many more for their time and thoughtful collaboration to ensure Fort Worth offers a world-class experience to anglers, their families and fans.”

Recent Classics held in Birmingham, Ala., and Knoxville, Tenn., have drawn record-breaking crowds of more than 120,000 fans to Classic Week events, including the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo. The Outdoors Expo has grown into the largest consumer fishing show in the country, with 200 exhibitors from around the world onsite selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more — an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Exhibition space fills quickly for this in-demand show, so interested businesses are encouraged to get on the waiting list today at Bassmaster.com/Expo.

“The Fort Worth Sports Commission is proud to host the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth,” said Jason Sands, director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “This is the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing and it will be an incredible privilege to welcome anglers, their families and fans from around the country to Fort Worth. This championship will bring over 70,000 visitors with an expected $20 million in direct spending including in our hotels, restaurants, retail, attractions and more. The Fort Worth Sports Commission will be monitoring event protocol and safety procedures as they evolve over the next several months to ensure Fort Worth is ready to host this prestigious tournament next spring.”

According to numbers released by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic provided a direct economic impact of $20.8 million and an indirect boost in business sales of $15.1 million. This total of $35.9 million for the 2020 event is an increase over the 2019 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, Tenn., which generated a total economic impact of $32.2 million, according to Visit Knoxville.

A perennial contender on Bassmaster Magazine’s annual 100 Best Bass Lakes list, Lake Ray Roberts was the No. 15 fishery in the Central Region for 2019, and historically, has appeared in the Top 10 multiple years. In a state known for producing big bags, Lake Ray Roberts continues to shine. Tournaments on this 29,350-acre reservoir regularly require anglers to average at least 5-pounders to win.

“Academy Sports + Outdoors has helped families in Fort Worth have fun for over 25 years,” said Lawrence Lobpries, Academy Sports + Outdoors’ senior vice president of marketing. “We’re excited to be a part of providing pro and recreational anglers alike access to bass fishing’s biggest event. We hope the experiences shared at this event will inspire growth in fishing participation across Texas and the rest of the country.”

The 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth will be covered live and streamed on Bassmaster.com, ESPN3 and the ESPN App, and five hours of original programming will be aired on ESPN2 and the Pursuit Channel following the event.

For complete details and more information as it becomes available, visit Bassmaster.com.

About Visit Fort Worth
Visit Fort Worthis the official destination marketing organization of the 13th-largest city in the United States, dedicated to promoting Fort Worth as a premier business and leisure destination with thriving centers of creativity, culture and commerce. Visit Fort Worth is the parent organization of The Fort Worth Herd, the Fort Worth Film Commission, the Fort Worth Sports Commission and music initiative Hear Fort Worth.

About the Fort Worth Sports Commission
The Fort Worth Sports Commission advances the city as an international sports destination. A division of Visit Fort Worth, the Sports Commission attracts youth, collegiate and professional events that deliver economic impact and boost Fort Worth’s image. The Commission supports development of and access to facilities that enhance the quality of life for all Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.FortWorth.com/Sports.

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2 and The Pursuit Channel), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, new Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

]]>Find Out How to Catch Bigger Bass During the Shad Spawnhttps://www.peppercustombaits.com/find-out-how-to-catch-bigger-bass-during-the-shad-spawn/
Sun, 24 May 2020 22:49:00 +0000https://www.peppercustombaits.com/find-out-how-to-catch-bigger-bass-during-the-shad-spawn/

As the shad spawn moves into full swing around most of the country, Lucky Craft Pro Skeet Reese shares a trick he uses to catch a few more big fish each morning!

]]>FLW Set for Return to Competition with Toyota Series Tournament on Pickwick Lakehttps://www.peppercustombaits.com/flw-set-for-return-to-competition-with-toyota-series-tournament-on-pickwick-lake/
Thu, 21 May 2020 23:17:00 +0000https://www.peppercustombaits.com/flw-set-for-return-to-competition-with-toyota-series-tournament-on-pickwick-lake/FLORENCE, Ala. (May 21, 2020) – FLW is set to return to tournament competition next week in Florence, Alabama, with the three-day Toyota Series event at Pickwick Lake, May 28-30. Hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism, the event will feature a return to action for the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers.

The event will be the first FLW tournament held since the organization paused all competition in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament will be held under an abundance of caution, with limited attendance to anglers and essential tournament staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through “FLW Live” weigh-in broadcasts and coverage at FLWFishing.com.

Floyd said that on Kentucky Lake, the fishing has been a little behind this year, but he thinks that only makes the timing better at Pickwick.

“I’ll usually start finding fish out on mid-range stuff now, or a week before now (mid-May),” said Floyd of the offshore bite. “It’s kind of behind here (at Kentucky Lake). We haven’t had a shad spawn yet, and usually it’s going on now. I’ve heard that it hasn’t quite happened yet there (at Pickwick), but I think this tournament will hit it right on the nail.”

For catching offshore fish, Floyd thinks that cranking will be clutch, as that’s usually one of the best early producers offshore on the Tennessee River. Other traditional ledge-fishing baits will work as well, including football jigs and other dragging baits. Swimbaits, hair jigs and fluke-style baits on Scrounger-style heads could also produce, and they have a history of success in the summer on Pickwick.

For the shallow-water stuff, Floyd said that big spinnerbaits can be very good around spawning shad. Big, shallow-running crankbaits may also be a good bet to catch the better-than-average largemouth that are shallow and gorging on big gizzard shad.

“I bet it’s going to be crazy. There will also be guys that catch them out of shallower stuff, too. They will be tough to beat if they find that stuff,” Floyd went on to say. “I bet the weights will be crazy. I’d say it’ll take high 60s to win over three days.”

Anglers will take off from McFarland Park, located at 200 Jim Spain Drive, in Florence at 6 a.m. CDT each day of competition. The weigh-ins will be broadcast at FLWFishing.com each day from McFarland Park, beginning at 2 p.m.

In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.

The Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.

About FLWFLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, FLW and its partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Zimbabwe.

FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show while Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. Acquired by Major League Fishing in late 2019, FLW is expanding its programming in 2020 to the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel as well as on-demand at MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).

]]>Booming Interest In Bassmaster Opens Brings First Live Coveragehttps://www.peppercustombaits.com/booming-interest-in-bassmaster-opens-brings-first-live-coverage/
Thu, 21 May 2020 00:43:00 +0000https://www.peppercustombaits.com/booming-interest-in-bassmaster-opens-brings-first-live-coverage/When the Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series resumes on the Arkansas River in June, fans will enjoy real-time leaderboard updates as well as on-the-water live coverage for the first time. Photo by B.A.S.S.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The excitement of sportfishing kicks off again in June with seven tournaments remaining in the hotly contested Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series. With fan interest at an all-time high and a stacked field of anglers that includes some of the sport’s biggest names, B.A.S.S. officials announced plans today to expand live coverage and make it easier for additional pro anglers to compete in the Opens.

“Our anglers, fans and sponsors are excited to get back to the fun and excitement of tournament fishing when the season resumes this summer,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “The 2020 Bassmaster Opens has set up to be among the most competitive in history, and we were thrilled to get the season rescheduled.

“While it was disappointing to postpone events, our team worked diligently during the unexpected downtime to improve Opens Series coverage options and implement additional technology that fans and anglers alike are sure to love. Now we just have to wait and see what these talented anglers catch!”

Over the course of January’s Bassmaster Eastern Open at Harris Chain, the leaderboard was visited an astounding 392,000 times as fans tuned in to follow the progress of their favorite anglers! Now, fishing fans will have two new options for following the on-the-water action. Beginning June 18 with the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Arkansas River, both boaters and co-anglers will use BASSTrakk for real-time updates. Plus, fans can follow the final-day drama by streaming Nationwide Bassmaster Opens LIVE presented by Grizzly as camera boats provide coverage of the leaders.

But it is not just fans who will have more access to on-the-water action. More anglers will also have an opportunity to compete for the coveted Falcon Rods Angler of the Year title!

While Opens tournaments have traditionally seen a pro angler and co-angler competing from the same boat, new rules going into place when the season restarts on the Arkansas River in June will allow for some pros to compete without a co-angler on one of the first two full-field days of the tournament on a random basis. Those pro anglers currently on the waiting list for tournaments will be added to the field. Registration for the first Bassmaster Central Open on the Arkansas River has been extended through May 29, 2020 and all late fees will be waived. Registration information can be found at Bassmaster.com/Opens.

“In these unprecedented times, it’s understandable that fewer co-anglers may want to commit to a tournament and be in close proximity to others,” said Chris Bowes, Tournament Director for the Opens Series. “But we wanted to ensure that pro anglers still have an opportunity to compete and collect valuable points toward the Falcon Rods Angler of the Year race as well as qualify for a spot on the Elite Series.”

Adding to the drama of the 2020 Bassmaster Opens, the new Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year title awards $10,000 to the overall points winner in the pro division. The top co-angler will have the pro division entry fees into the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens division of his or her choice paid for — a value of approximately $7,200!

The 2020 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens features four events in two divisions — Eastern and Central — with the winners of each event earning an automatic berth into the 2021 Bassmaster Classic, provided he or she has fished all four events in that division. The Top 4 anglers from each division’s final points standings will receive an invitation to fish the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series. As a new addition, Elite Series invitations will also be extended to the Top 4 anglers from the cumulative standings for both divisions for a total of 12 invitations.

Among those fighting for those coveted Elite Series invitations are 46 anglers who have registered to fish all eight Opens Series tournaments plus two current Elite pros, Brandon Palaniuk and Gerald Swindle, who are fishing the entire season to help ensure they requalify for the Series.

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2 and The Pursuit Channel), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, new Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.